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Social value that scores: PPN 002, the TOMs and commitments you can keep

What counts as social value, how central government, councils and the NHS score it, every North West weighting with its source, and a template for commitments that win marks and survive as contract KPIs.

SMEsFoundersCharities and social enterprises21 min readChecked 18 October 2026
On this page
  1. The reality: small weighting, large swing
  2. What counts, and what does not
  3. The rules, by buyer type
    1. Conditions, not scores
  4. North West weightings, with sources
  5. How your offer is scored
    1. What evaluators mark down
  6. Write commitments that win, and that you can keep
    1. Step 1: find the need before the number
    2. Step 2: build each commitment on the template
    3. Step 3: choose from a menu sized to your firm
    4. Step 4: cost it, then cut it
  7. Examples, and why they worked
  8. Pitfalls
  9. Checklist
  10. Questions
    1. What is social value in public procurement?
    2. Does PPN 002 apply to council tenders?
    3. What changes under PPN 026 in 2027?
    4. What are the National TOMs and how are they scored?
    5. How much social value should a small business offer?
    6. What social value weighting do North West councils use?
    7. What happens if we miss a social value commitment?
  11. Sources

Social value is the 10% to 20% of a public tender that most small bidders write last and lose first. Here is what counts, how each buyer scores it, what North West buyers weight it at, and how to write commitments that score and that you can deliver.

  • Social value is what you add beyond the specification. The core service does not count, your corporate policies do not count, and every commitment you make becomes a contract term or KPI12.
  • Central government uses PPN 002 now (10% minimum, one outcome, scored on the quality of your plan) and PPN 026 for procurements started from 1 January 2027 on contracts of £1m and over (jobs and skills only, 10% or 20%)14.
  • Councils and the NHS set their own rules. In the North West 10% is the floor, GMCA weights 20% over £100k, Salford 15%, Liverpool 10% rising to 20%152418.
  • It decides close contests. In a Liverpool City Council award in October 2026 the winner scored 10 of 10 for social value and beat the cheapest bidder by 11.5 points, 9.24 of them social value13.
  • One good commitment beats five vague ones: a named cohort, a number, a date, a named partner, an owner, a metric in the buyer's units, and a reason it would not happen anyway3.
  • Over-promising now costs: contractual sanctions at councils and, under PPN 026, published KPIs where evidence of poor performance "can be taken into account" when deciding future exclusions184.

The reality: small weighting, large swing

  • 10% minimum weighting under PPN 002, central government, procurements started from 1 October 20251
  • 20% GMCA's weighting on its own procurements over £100k15
  • +9.24 points of an 11.5-point winning margin: social value in a Liverpool City Council award, October 202613
  • £35.5m of social value commitments contracted by GMCA in 2022-23, 31% of the value of contracts let15
  • 10% / 20% PPN 026 minimums from 1 January 2027: £1m to under £5m / £5m and over4
  • £750 the winner's first-year Social Value Portal fee on a Lancashire County Council contract under £250k21

Social value is scored separately from quality and price, so a weak answer cannot hide inside a strong bid. Some councils score it relative to the best bidder, so your mark depends on rivals' offers. After award it becomes a KPI with your name on it132.

Liverpool's October 2026 weightings13:

Liverpool City Council award weightings, October 2026
  • Technical 60%
  • Social value 10%
  • Price 30%

Real example: the swing in a Liverpool City Council award, October 2026

Contract: Penalty Charge Notice and Permit Management System, estimated at £806,814.79 excluding VAT over up to seven years, a further competition under the ESPO framework, closing 30 July 2026, reported to Cabinet on 13 October 202614. Social value "was assessed using the National TOMs methodology" and scored "relative to the highest scoring bidder"; price was scored relative to the lowest13.

Bidder Technical (60) Social value (10) Price (30) Total and rank
D 56.80 10.00 24.76 91.56, first
E 55.00 5.89 20.66 81.55, second
C 49.30 0.76 30.00 80.06, third
B 46.60 0.60 23.54 70.74, fourth
A 51.90 1.50 6.25 59.65, fifth

Why social value decided it: the cheapest bidder (C, full marks on price) came third. The winner beat it by 11.50 points: +7.50 technical, +9.24 social value, −5.24 price. Because proxy totals were scored relative to the best schedule, four of five bidders scored under 2 of 10. The only published comment on the winner's offer: "a social value proposal which provides good value to the local community"13. The winner must now "fulfil the agreed social value commitments established through the procurement process"14.

What counts, and what does not

Counts Does not count Rule
Benefits "over and above the core deliverable/s of the tender or the contract": how you recruit, train and pay the contract workforce, who you buy from, what you do in the area while delivering The service you are being paid for. In an employment-support contract, the employment support itself "could not be defined as social value" PPN 002 Guide, §1.42
"the specific actions that will be made in the performance of the contract" Corporate policies and CSR statements. Criteria "based on the supplier's general corporate policies" must not be used PPN 002 Guide, §3.3 and FAQ2
Activity on this contract, in its term, in the buyer's area "general business-as-usual activity or corporate initiatives that are not linked to the contract" Lancashire County Council22
A commitment you will be held to: "All social value commitments made by suppliers during the procurement process must be reflected in the contract", as terms, KPIs or performance indicators Aspirations. "We aim to" is not a commitment and earns nothing under the PPN 002 minimum-to-score test PPN 002 and the Social Value Model13

Charities and social enterprises are the partners other bidders need: Liverpool counts "supply chain opportunities for local Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations" as social value, and GMCA says bidders "often struggle to find a suitable outlet for resources they are willing to provide"1817.

The rules, by buyer type

PPN 026 applies by tender notice date14:

From PPN 002 to PPN 026
  1. PPN 002 publishedupdated 5 March 2025
  2. PPN 002 appliescentral government, 10% minimum
  3. PPN 026 publishedjobs and skills only
  4. PPN 026 guidance due
  5. PPN 026 applies£1m and over: 10%, or 20% at £5m and over
Buyer Rule Weighting and scope What to do
Central government departments, executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), now PPN 002, for above-threshold procurements started on or after 1 October 2025; councils may adopt it voluntarily1 At least 10% of the total score (10% of the quality score under Price per Quality Point). The buyer usually picks one of eight outcomes. You answer with a method statement and project plan, scored on quality only; the volumes you state are not scored but "that offer becomes a contract commitment"12 Pass the minimum-to-score test (specific, measurable, time-bound), name a cohort, and give a timed plan with metrics, monitoring tools, governance and feedback3
The same bodies, procurements started on or after 1 January 2027 PPN 026, published 5 August 2026; accompanying guidance due autumn 20264 Contracts of £1m or more including VAT only. Two outcomes, Good jobs and Skills, six criteria. Minimum 10% at £1m to under £5m, 20% at £5m and over. At £5m and over, at least one social value KPI published on the Central Digital Platform (CDP) and reported at least yearly; evidence of poor performance can count when deciding whether to exclude a supplier from future tenders4 Start recording jobs by role, pay, training hours and progression per contract now. Below £1m, and outside central government, nothing changes: Tussell puts "more than two-thirds of the public sector market" outside PPN 0265
Councils and combined authorities Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012: the authority must consider how the procurement "might improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of the relevant area", for services contracts above threshold; goods and works alone are not covered67. Each council writes its own policy 10% to 30% in the North West, mostly on a TOMs schedule (Themes, Outcomes and Measures: a menu of measures with a proxy £ value each) plus a narrative. See the table below Download the council's social value policy, its TOMs list and its needs data before the ITT. Liverpool is "not an in-scope organisation" for PPN 002 but "will endeavour to align" with it, so the PPN 002 anatomy works there too18
NHS bodies Net Zero Supplier Roadmap: a minimum 10% weighting for net zero and social value in all NHS procurements since April 2022; the Provider Selection Regime repeats the 10% floor for clinical services89 10% minimum; a Carbon Reduction Plan for all new NHS procurements since April 20248 Publish the plan first. It is a gate the buyer checks before your social value answer is read. See Who buys, and what they need

The eight PPN 002 outcomes a tender may pick: fair work; skills for growth; a resilient, innovative and flexible supply chain; sustainable procurement; reduction in crime; employment and training for those facing barriers; a pipeline of opportunities for the contract workforce; wellbeing3.

The question central government asks, verbatim

"In no more than [enter number of] words please set out, in a method statement and project plan, the specific, measurable and time bound commitment(s) your organisation will make to deliver the [insert policy outcome] and the following Award Criteria below." For the fair work, barriers and pipeline outcomes you must also state "the total number of people who will work on the contract (measured in roles, not Full Time Equivalents)". The first award criterion applied to every outcome: "The response includes a specific, measurable and time-bound commitment (minimum requirement to score points)"3.

Conditions, not scores

Three policy notes travel with social value questions and are often confused with them.

Policy note What it does Where it bites
PPN 006, Carbon Reduction Plans A plan is "a condition of participation": a commitment to net zero by 2050, Scope 1, 2 and a defined subset of Scope 3 emissions against a baseline year, signed off by the board, published on your website, updated at least annually10 Central government contracts above £5m a year including VAT10; all new NHS procurements8; GMCA asks for one on any over-threshold contract, pass/fail over £5m and scored below16
PPN 014, Cyber Essentials Evidence is "required before contract award" where the contract handles citizens' or staff personal data or OFFICIAL systems; recertify every 12 months; equivalents must be accepted; it "should not be applied to all contracts as a matter of course"11 Central government and NHS bodies, contract by contract
PPN 008, Armed Forces Covenant Buyers may invite you to sign, but signing is "not a condition of working with the contracting authority" and will not "form any part of the procurement process"12 Nowhere. It cannot earn a mark, so do not spend words on it

North West weightings, with sources

Published minimums; thresholds and dates are in the table151824192526:

Minimum social value weighting, North West buyers
GMCA, over £100k20%
Greater Manchester councils, average of seven surveyed (2023)20%range 10% to 30%
Salford City Council15%
Liverpool City Council, over £25k10%up to 20% where potential is clear
Lancashire County Council, over £100k10%
Cheshire East Council, over £100k10%
Wirral Council, £100k and above10%
Buyer Weighting and threshold How it is scored Gates and fees Source
Greater Manchester Combined Authority (own procurements) 20% over £100k GM TOMs on the Social Value Portal; quantified commitments required since April 2022 Pass/fail at selection: Real Living Wage for all UK staff aged 18 and over (or within 12 months, with key subcontractors following); Good Employment Charter member or supporter (or supporter within 3 months); a carbon reduction plan, pass/fail over £5m GMCA reports, March 2022 and March 20231516
The ten Greater Manchester councils 10% to 30%, average 20%, from thresholds of £25k to £100k (survey of seven councils, 2023) Mostly the Social Value Portal "a cost to suppliers once contracted" on frameworks GMCA report, March 202315
Liverpool City Council Minimum 10%, "up to 20%" where potential is clear; every contract over £25,000 must consider it Policy: 80% qualitative (your delivery approach), 20% quantitative (your targets). The October 2026 award used National TOMs, proxy value scored relative to the best bidder "Liverpool City First": delivery focused on 13 neighbourhoods, evidence from the Neighbourhood Profiles; commitments become KPIs, non-delivery met with "contractual performance sanctions" Social Value Policy, February 2026; Cabinet, October 20261813
Salford City Council Minimum 15% for all new tenders, higher where bidders can deliver more Salford TOMs, 78 measures: a core 37 from £75,000, the full set from £500,000; reported on the Social Value Portal Real Living Wage encouraged towards accreditation; under £75,000, two of the three quotes sought from Salford firms where they exist Sustainable Procurement Strategy 2023-2724
Lancashire County Council Minimum standalone 10% above £100,000 whole-life Lancashire TOMs, 28 measures; scored quantitatively against the TOMs and qualitatively on a delivery statement per measure; monitored quarterly Tendering is free; the winner pays Portal fees: £750 then £500 a year under £250k; 0.2% then 0.15% at £250k to £3.35m; £7,500 then £5,000 above, excluding VAT Policy 2026-28; Portal page1921
Cheshire East Council Minimum 10% above £100,000; considered above £5,000 "specific, target-setting questions" at ITT stage Signatory to the Cheshire and Merseyside Social Value Charter Social Value Policy, November 202125
Wirral Council 10% at £100k and above; discretionary below Social Value Portal and National TOMs; a delivery-plan template is published for suppliers Contract Procedure Rules, February 20252627
Manchester City Council; Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Not confirmed: both sites refused automated reading for this guide. GMCA's survey of GM councils is the nearest sourced range Manchester runs a Social Value Brokerage group connecting bidders with community groups Check their pages directly; GMCA report, March 202315

Greater Manchester's two layers

Real Living Wage and Good Employment Charter supporter status ("zero cost") are pass/fail at selection for GMCA, checked before the scored TOMs schedule16. In GMCA's 2022 baseline 76% of surveyed suppliers paid the Real Living Wage to all staff and 43% were Charter supporters17. "Greater Manchester based" means your head office, or where most of the contract workforce would call their main place of work17.

How your offer is scored

PPN 002: quality of plan only. "The assessment is qualitative, scoring how the method statement and implementation plan meet the award criteria and sub-criteria (only)." Your numbers are not scored; they bind you2.

TOMs: proxy £ plus evidence. Each measure carries a proxy value, updated annually from more than 17 data sources. Social Value Portal publishes no proxy table, so you cannot compute your own score2928. Councils score "both the quantitative value of their commitments and the quality of the evidence they provide"30. The split varies: Liverpool's policy fixes 80% qualitative, 20% quantitative, yet its October 2026 award scored proxy totals relative to the best bidder1813. Read the scoring note like the price formula.

What evaluators mark down

Marked down The rule behind it
Generic CSR Scoring "must relate to the specific actions that will be made in the performance of the contract"2. Business-as-usual "may be discounted"22. "Nobody should get loudly applauded" for an anti-slavery policy the law already requires32
Unrelated to this contract or this place The Act allows "only matters that are relevant to what is proposed to be procured"6. "Local" left undefined can "receive zero marks" where the buyer specifies postcodes33
No measurement plan PPN 002 asks for proposed metrics, monitoring tools, "Governance, including nominated escalation points" and feedback procedures3; a KPI is "a combination of a deliverable and a numeric element"2
Double counting, wrong attribution TOM System principles: "No double counting" and "Clear attribution", yours "and not your supply chain or another organisation"28
Reused across contracts, outside the term Lancashire rejects "Duplicate submissions or evidence reused across multiple contracts" and activity "delivered outside the contract term"2223
Wrong units Hours volunteered submitted against a committed "number of beneficiaries supported" may be rejected23
Would happen anyway The evaluator's question is what changes "if we award your organisation this contract"33

What Lancashire tells bidders, in its own words

"There are 28, and no supplier is expected to bid for all of them." Quantities must be "realistic, deliverable figures" in each measure's units, and the narrative must "directly explain and support the quantitative commitments entered". "Partial or generic responses may score poorly or be discounted"22. After award: "The quantity, type and description of activity submitted must match the original social value commitment"23.

Write commitments that win, and that you can keep

Step 1: find the need before the number

Liverpool wants commitments built on its Neighbourhood Profiles, aimed at the people "most in need"18. GMCA's six priorities: Real Living Wage, the Good Employment Charter, carbon reduction, tackling inequality, SMEs and VCSEs, local spend17. Quote the figure you answer.

Step 2: build each commitment on the template

Every element is something an official source scores or validates31822.

The anatomy of a scoring commitment
  1. Measurethe buyer's outcome or TOM, in its units
  2. Needone local statistic from the buyer's own data
  3. Cohortnamed people who benefit
  4. Target and datea number by a month of the contract
  5. Partnernamed, confirmed in writing
  6. Ownera named role, costed in the price
  7. Evidence and reportingthe buyer's metric, on the buyer's cycle
Commitment [n]: [one line, in the buyer's measure name and units]

Outcome or measure      [PPN 002 Outcome 2 / TOM code / council priority, named]
Local need              [one statistic and its source, e.g. a named Neighbourhood Profile]
Who benefits            [named cohort: care leavers, long-term unemployed residents of (area)]
Target and date         [number] [unit] by month [n] of the contract
Delivery partner        [named organisation; confirmation email dated (date)]
Owner and resources     [named role]; [hours] and [£] a year, included in our price
How we measure          [metric in the buyer's units]; evidence: [payroll / attendance records / certificates]
Reporting               [quarterly, on the Social Value Portal / to the contract manager]
Beyond business as usual [what would not happen without this contract]

Step 3: choose from a menu sized to your firm

For a firm of 5 to 20 people on a £100k to £500k contract, two or three lines from this table beat a page of pledges. Buyers want offers "targeted, tangible and proportionate to the overall contract value"33.

Commitment Unit the buyer counts Who confirms it Where it scores
One apprenticeship or paid placement on the contract for a named cohort Roles created "in roles, not FTE"; apprenticeship starts by level; placement weeks3 Jobcentre Plus, a college, a supported-employment or care-leaver charity Every regime: PPN 002 outcomes 1, 6 and 7; both PPN 026 outcomes; TOMs employment measures. Advertise the role on DWP's Find a Job: PPN 002 requires it1
Careers talks, mock interviews, site visits at named schools Hours delivered; pupils reached The school or a STEM charity PPN 002 outcome 7; TOMs skills measures3
Local spend £ with suppliers in the buyer's area, named Your own ledger, quarterly TOMs economy measures; Liverpool's own KPI example is "£20,000 in local economic spend"18
VCSE and SME suppliers £ awarded; number of contracts The organisation itself PPN 002 outcome 3; a GMCA priority317
Paid-time volunteering Staff hours in paid time, during the term, at a named host The host TOMs community measures; Liverpool lists park volunteering such as litter picking18
Carbon Tonnes CO2e cut against a baseline year; a published plan Your plan on the PPN 006 template, no fee39 PPN 002 outcome 4; an NHS gate; scored by GMCA under £5m16
Pay and conditions Real Living Wage for all staff and key subcontractors; Charter supporter Living Wage Foundation accreditation from £100 a year under 10 staff37; Charter supporter registration, free16 GMCA pass/fail; PPN 002 outcome 1c; PPN 026 criterion 1c4

Weak (hypothetical)

We are committed to our local community and support local employment. Our staff regularly volunteer for good causes and we aim to recruit locally wherever possible. We have an environmental policy and pay above the minimum wage.

Strong (hypothetical rewrite)

If awarded, we will create 2 roles in Liverpool (L4 to L6) within 6 months of contract start, at least 1 filled by a care leaver recruited through [named partner; confirmation attached]. We will host 4 paid two-week placements a year for [named college]. Each of our 8 staff will give 8 paid hours a year, 64 hours in total, to [named food bank] within the contract term. Owner: [name], Operations Lead. Reporting: quarterly, on the Portal, with payroll and attendance records, against measures [codes]. None of this is planned without this contract.

The first sentence alone passes the PPN 002 minimum-to-score test3; the volunteering line follows a published practitioner pattern33.

Step 4: cost it, then cut it

No source publishes what an SME commitment costs, so build it up (hours × rate, partner costs, any Portal fee) and put it in your price. "If your bid promises ten work placements, someone needs responsibility for arranging them"34.

Item Cost Source
Living Wage Foundation accreditation From £100 a year with fewer than 10 employees; the 2026-27 rate is £14.10 outside London, to be paid by 1 May 2027 Living Wage Foundation, 15 October 202637
Good Employment Charter supporter "zero cost" GMCA16
Carbon Reduction Plan No fee: the PPN 006 template, a director's signature, a page on your website, updated within 6 months of year end PPN 006 technical standard39
Cyber Essentials "starting at £320 +VAT" a year by size (PPN 014 quotes £300 to £500 plus VAT at basic level); renew every 12 months NCSC; PPN 0143811
Social Value Portal after award (Lancashire) £750 then £500 a year under £250k; 0.2% then 0.15% of value at £250k to £3.35m. Check the council's current table before pricing Lancashire County Council, read 18 October 202621

What over-promising now costs

Under PPN 002 your stated volume "becomes a contract commitment" though it is not scored2. Liverpool will "Address non-delivery in line with social value guidance and contractual performance sanctions"18. From 2027, central contracts of £5m and over carry a published social value KPI that can count towards future exclusion4; the Act's KPI guidance already links poor KPI performance to discretionary exclusion44. Social Value Portal's founder calls over-claiming "a cardinal sin"32. Commit only to what you can evidence in the buyer's units.

Examples, and why they worked

Real example: Dunsters Farm, Bury, a £42m contract credited to social value (KTP case study, December 2025)

During a Knowledge Transfer Partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University, this family-owned food wholesaler measured its social value: 176% over target, £5 million across 14 charities, 216 volunteer hours, five apprenticeships. Its Commercial Director says the firm won a six-to-nine-year public-sector contract worth about £42 million, roughly 35% of turnover, "based on our strong social value commitments and results". The buyer and scores are not published. Why it worked, on the firm's account: measured, dated delivery made its new commitments believable35.

Real example: the buyer's own worked example, Liverpool City Council, February 2026

For a parks food-vendor contract Liverpool lists the "added value" it would score: "Employ two local residents" from priority groups (disabled people, care leavers, the long-term unemployed and others); "Support local community projects addressing food poverty"; supply chain opportunities for local VCSEs; park volunteering; "Commit to measurable spend (in pounds) on locally sourced goods, services and works"; work experience for young people. Why it works: every line uses the contract's own workforce, supply chain and site. Its "inherent value" column (recyclable packaging, zero waste to landfill, a carbon reduction plan) is specification, which earns no social value marks18.

Real example: two lines that won a Liverpool call-off (vehicle leasing, £318,023, July 2026)

Kinto UK's winning social value offer, in full: "Continued implementation of its carbon reduction plan" and a requirement on subcontractors "to operate low or zero emission vehicles". No scores or reasons were published. It shows proportion: a three-year lease of 27 vehicles, two commitments tied to the subject matter36.

Social Value Portal's model engineering answer (vendor material; bidder not named)

A local needs analysis found a mechanical engineering skills gap. The bidder partnered with schools and a STEM charity, committed to 30 hours of careers talks across 3 target schools and 1 young person into a contract apprenticeship, and promised quarterly updates with data and case studies. That is the template above in one paragraph31.

Find the partner before you write the number

  • Lancashire names a partner for each measure, from Jobcentre Plus and Inspira to The Lancashire Colleges and Groundwork20. Its free Consortium Exchange helps firms find partners to bid together43.
  • Liverpool publishes Neighbourhood Profiles for its 13 neighbourhoods and expects commitments to cite them18.
  • Greater Manchester: Manchester City Council's Social Value Brokerage group points bidders at community groups and regeneration schemes such as Victoria North15; the GM Social Value Network, hosted by Macc (Manchester Community Central), runs events and training40; Good Employment Charter supporter registration is free1641.
  • Social Value Conference 2026, 2 to 3 December, Liverpool (day 2 in person), run by Social Value Portal42.

Pitfalls

Pitfall What happens Fix
Describing the core service as social value Scores nothing: it is "the core deliverable"2 Ask of each line: is this in the specification? If yes, move it
Pasting the CSR page Corporate policies "must not be used" as criteria; business as usual "may be discounted"222 Rewrite every line as an action on this contract, with a date
"Local" without a map Zero marks where postcodes are specified33; Liverpool scores its 13 neighbourhoods18 Name the wards or postcodes and the buyer's own needs source
A big £ total with no plan Councils score evidence quality as well as proxy value30; Liverpool weights the narrative at 80%18 Fewer measures, each with partner, owner, metric and evidence
Partner not confirmed Delivery teams and partners may not have agreed34 A confirmation email per partner, dated before submission
Same offer in three live bids "Duplicate submissions or evidence reused across multiple contracts" fail validation23; "Clear attribution" is a TOM principle28 One register of live commitments; never promise the same hours twice
Wrong units, wrong term Evidence must match the commitment's "quantity, type and description" and fall inside the contract term23 Copy the buyer's measure name and unit into your commitment
Forgetting the fee and the hours Lancashire charges the winner from £750; GMCA notes "a cost to suppliers once contracted"2115 Cost delivery and fees into the price

Checklist

Questions

What is social value in public procurement?

The benefit a supplier adds beyond what is being bought: how it recruits, trains and pays the contract workforce, who it buys from, what it does in the area while delivering. The core service and corporate policies do not count. Every commitment becomes a contract term or KPI12.

Does PPN 002 apply to council tenders?

Not directly. It binds central government departments, executive agencies and NDPBs for covered procurements started from 1 October 2025; others may adopt it1. Councils follow the Social Value Act and their own policies, often TOMs-based. Liverpool is "not an in-scope organisation" but aligns with PPN 002 where appropriate18.

What changes under PPN 026 in 2027?

For central government procurements started on or after 1 January 2027 and worth £1m or more: two outcomes, Good jobs and Skills, six criteria; minimum 10% weighting from £1m and 20% from £5m. At £5m and over a social value KPI is published on the Central Digital Platform, and poor performance can count towards exclusion. Guidance is due in autumn 20264.

What are the National TOMs and how are they scored?

Themes, Outcomes and Measures: Social Value Portal's menu of measures, each with a proxy £ value, adapted by councils (Lancashire 28, Salford 78). You enter quantities plus a narrative; councils score the proxy total and the evidence, sometimes relative to the best bidder. Proxy values are not published, and the winner may pay a Portal fee2820243021.

How much social value should a small business offer?

Proportionate to the contract, and only what you can evidence. For 5 to 20 staff, two or three commitments tied to the contract workforce and supply chain, each with a delivery plan, beat a long list343331.

What social value weighting do North West councils use?

GMCA 20% over £100k; Greater Manchester councils 10% to 30%; Liverpool 10% rising to 20%; Salford 15%; Lancashire, Cheshire East and Wirral 10% from £100,000. Manchester City Council and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority could not be confirmed151824192526.

What happens if we miss a social value commitment?

The contract's performance clauses apply; Liverpool cites "contractual performance sanctions"18. Evidence that does not match the commitment's units or term is rejected23. From 2027, on central contracts of £5m and over, the KPI is public and poor performance can count towards future exclusion4.

Sources

  1. GOV.UK, PPN 002: taking account of social value in the award of central government contracts (published 13 February 2025, updated 5 March 2025). https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ppn-002-taking-account-of-social-value-in-the-award-of-contracts/ppn-002-taking-account-of-social-value-in-the-award-of-central-government-contracts-html ↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩

  2. GOV.UK, PPN 002: Guide to using the Social Value Model, sections 1.4, 2.2, 3.2, 3.3, 4.2 and FAQ. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ppn-002-taking-account-of-social-value-in-the-award-of-contracts/ppn-002-guide-to-using-the-social-value-model-html ↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩

  3. GOV.UK, Procurement Policy Note 002: The Social Value Model (model question, additional award criteria, outcomes and reporting metrics). https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ppn-002-taking-account-of-social-value-in-the-award-of-contracts/procurement-policy-note-002-the-social-value-model-html ↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩

  4. GOV.UK, PPN 026: The Social Value Model, published 5 August 2026, paragraphs 4 to 18. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ppn-026-the-social-value-model/ppn-026-the-social-value-model-html ↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩

  5. Tussell, "The central government Social Value Model explained: PPN 026", Ben Pollard, 5 August 2026. https://www.tussell.com/insights/the-central-govt-social-value-model-explained-ppn026 ↩

  6. Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012, section 1, as amended from 24 February 2025. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2012/3/section/1 ↩↩

  7. GOV.UK, PPN 003: The Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012, 17 February 2025. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ppn-003-the-public-services-social-value-act-2012/ppn-003-the-public-services-social-value-act-2012-html ↩

  8. NHS England, Greener NHS: Suppliers (Net Zero Supplier Roadmap). https://www.england.nhs.uk/greenernhs/get-involved/suppliers/ ↩↩↩

  9. NHS England, Provider Selection Regime. https://www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/how-commissioning-is-changing/provider-selection-regime/ ↩

  10. GOV.UK, PPN 006: Taking account of carbon reduction plans in the procurement of major government contracts. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ppn-006-taking-account-of-carbon-reduction-plans-in-the-procurement-of-major-government-contracts/ppn-006-taking-account-of-carbon-reduction-plans-html ↩↩

  11. GOV.UK, PPN 014: Cyber Essentials Scheme, 17 February 2025. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ppn-014-cyber-essentials-scheme/ppn-014-cyber-essentials-scheme-html ↩↩

  12. GOV.UK, PPN 008: Armed Forces Covenant, Annex A paragraph 5. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ppn-008-armed-forces-covenant/ppn-008-armed-forces-covenant-html ↩

  13. Liverpool City Council, Cabinet 13 October 2026, Appendix 1: Evaluation Outcome and Award Recommendation (not exempt), Penalty Charge Notice and Permit Management System. https://councillors.liverpool.gov.uk/documents/s329288/Appendix%201%20Evaluation%20Outcome%20and%20Award%20Recommendation%20-%20not%20exempt.pdf ↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩

  14. Liverpool City Council, Cabinet 13 October 2026, report: Award of Contract, Parking Enforcement and Permit Services Transformation Programme (PR1194). https://councillors.liverpool.gov.uk/documents/s329286/Penalty%20Charge%20Notice%20and%20Permit%20Management%20System.pdf ↩↩

  15. Greater Manchester Combined Authority, "Driving Social Value in Greater Manchester Public Procurement: Good Employment", report of 24 March 2023. https://democracy.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/documents/s25480/15%20GMCA%20Report%20Driving%20Social%20Value%20Update.pdf ↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩

  16. GMCA, Appendix 1 to the 24 March 2023 report: Procurement Standard Questionnaire, Social Value Questions (X.1 to X.4). https://democracy.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/documents/s25481/Appendix%201%20GMCA%20Procurement%20Standard%20Questionnaire%20Social%20Value%20Questions.pdf ↩↩↩↩↩↩↩

  17. GMCA, "Driving Social Value", report of 25 March 2022. https://democracy.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/documents/s20070/16%20Driving%20Social%20Value.pdf ↩↩↩↩↩

  18. Liverpool City Council, Social Value Policy: Commissioning and Procurement, February 2026 (PDF). https://liverpool.gov.uk/media/n5xbkrzn/social-value-policy-commissioning-and-procurement.pdf Web summary published 28 July 2026. https://liverpool.gov.uk/business/procurement-and-contracts/social-value/ ↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩↩

  19. Lancashire County Council, Social Value Policy and Framework 2026-28. https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/business/social-value/social-value-policy-and-framework/ ↩↩↩

  20. Lancashire County Council, Lancashire TOMs methodology and partners. https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/business/social-value/lancashire-toms-methodology-and-partners/ ↩↩

  21. Lancashire County Council, Social Value Portal (fees, read 18 October 2026). https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/business/social-value/social-value-portal/ ↩↩↩↩↩

  22. Lancashire County Council, "Submitting social value as part of a tender". https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/business/social-value/articles/submitting-social-value-as-part-of-a-tender/ ↩↩↩↩↩↩

  23. Lancashire County Council, "Getting your social value data submission right". https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/business/social-value/articles/getting-your-social-value-data-submission-right/ ↩↩↩↩↩↩

  24. Salford City Council, Sustainable Procurement Strategy 2023-2027 (PDF). https://www.salford.gov.uk/media/399037/scc-procurement-strategy-2023-27.pdf ↩↩↩↩↩

  25. Cheshire East Council, Social Value Policy, November 2021 (PDF). https://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/pdf/business/procurement/cheshire-east-social-value-policy-nov-21.pdf ↩↩↩

  26. Wirral Council, Contract Procedure Rules, February 2025 (PDF). https://www.wirral.gov.uk/files/contract-procedure-rules.pdf-0 ↩↩↩

  27. Wirral Council, Procurement strategy, regulations and social responsibility. https://www.wirral.gov.uk/business/tenders-and-contracts/procurement-strategy-regulations-and-social-responsibility ↩

  28. Social Value Portal, the Social Value TOM System (116 measures; principles of no double counting, clear attribution and contract relevance). https://www.socialvalueportal.com/measurement/tom-system ↩↩↩↩

  29. Social Value Portal, National TOMs. https://www.socialvalueportal.com/national-toms ↩

  30. Gloucestershire County Council, "Measuring the impact of social value". https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/business-property-and-economy/doing-business-with-us/social-value/social-value-impact-report/background-of-the-social-value-impact-report/measuring-the-impact-of-social-value ↩↩↩

  31. Social Value Portal, "How to win work and deliver results under the Social Value Model". https://www.socialvalueportal.com/bidders/how-to-win-work-and-deliver-results-under-the-social-value-model ↩↩

  32. Social Value Portal, Guy Battle, "Want to supply the public sector? You will need a credible social value strategy", 5 March 2024. https://www.socialvalueportal.com/bidders/want-to-supply-the-public-sector-you-will-need-a-credible-social-value-strategy ↩↩

  33. Executive Compass, Ciaran Brass, "What does a good social value response look like in 2026?", 11 February 2026. https://www.executivecompass.co.uk/blog/general/good-social-value-response-2026/ ↩↩↩↩↩↩

  34. Thornton & Lowe, Andy Boardman, "The importance of social value in tenders", 12 August 2026. https://thorntonandlowe.com/the-importance-of-social-value-in-tenders/ ↩↩↩

  35. Innovate UK KTP, case study: "Leading sustainable food distribution through innovation and social value" (Dunsters Farm and Manchester Metropolitan University), posted 8 December 2025. https://iuk-ktp.org.uk/case-study/leading-sustainable-food-distribution-through-innovation-and-social-value/ ↩

  36. Liverpool City Council, Delegated Authority Report NH99.26, "Award a Contract: Highways Operations Vehicle Fleet", decision 9 July 2026, published 9 October 2026. https://councillors.liverpool.gov.uk/documents/s329970/Award%20a%20Contract%20-%20Highways%20Operations%20Vehicle%20Fleet.pdf ↩

  37. Living Wage Foundation, FAQs and accreditation (fees from £100 a year). https://www.livingwage.org.uk/faqs Rates announced 15 October 2026. https://www.livingwage.org.uk/what-real-living-wage ↩↩

  38. National Cyber Security Centre, Cyber Essentials overview (read 18 October 2026). https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/cyberessentials/overview ↩

  39. GOV.UK, PPN 006: Technical standard for completion of Carbon Reduction Plans. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ppn-006-taking-account-of-carbon-reduction-plans-in-the-procurement-of-major-government-contracts/ppn-006-technical-standard-for-completion-of-carbon-reduction-plans-html ↩↩

  40. Greater Manchester Social Value Network. https://gmsvn.org.uk/ ↩

  41. Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter. https://www.gmgoodemploymentcharter.co.uk/ ↩

  42. Social Value Conference 2026, 2 to 3 December, Liverpool. https://conference.socialvalueportal.com/ ↩

  43. Lancashire County Council, Consortium Exchange. https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/business/tenders-and-procurement/consortium-exchange/ ↩

  44. GOV.UK, Procurement Act 2023 guidance: Key Performance Indicators, updated 20 July 2026. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/procurement-act-2023-guidance-documents-manage-phase/guidance-key-performance-indicators-html ↩

Written for businesses, founders and researchers in the North West of England and checked against the sources listed above on 18 October 2026. Funders change their rules, so always read the current call before you apply. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.

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